Heat 128, Kings 99

January 12, 2013|Reuters

Heat 128, Kings 99: Mario Chalmers set career highs with 10 3-pointers and 34 points as visiting Miami halted a two-game skid with its eighth straight win over Sacramento.

LeBron James had 20 points and seven assists while Chris Bosh scored 16 points for the Heat, who were 17-of-37 from beyond the arc as they avoided their first three-game losing streak since Jan. 10-13, 2012.

Isaiah Thomas was 6-of-8 from 3-point range and finished with a career-best 34 points for the Kings, who fell to 0-3 on their five-game homestand and have dropped four straight overall. DeMarcus Cousins and James Johnson scored 11 points apiece while Thomas Robinson added 10 and 10 rebounds.

Miami got off to a fast start as Chalmers scored 13 points during a game-opening 17-6 run. James added 10 points in the first quarter and Bosh recorded 10 in the second as the Heat carried a 66-44 lead into the break.

Thomas made four 3-pointers in the final 1:19 of the third and finished with 21 points in the quarter, but it wasn't enough to slow down Miami as the reigning champion led 103-72 after 36 minutes. Chalmers made a cameo appearance as the Heat emptied their bench in the fourth and made a pair of 3-pointers in three minutes to complete his impressive performance.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Needing only five 3-pointers to climb into fifth place on the franchise list, Chalmers soared past Dan Majerle by raising his career total to 420. ... Thomas has scored in double figures in 11 of his last 13 games. ... James, who hit double figures for the 454th consecutive time, is now 50 points shy of 20,000 for his career.